Saturday saw Newcastle register their first home goal against the Gunners since Cheick Tiote's unforgettable strike in 2011, but unlike that effort, it wasn't enough to give John Carver's side a share of the points in 2015.

A 48th minute shot from captain Moussa Sissoko roused Gallowgate from its slumbers and prompted a massively improved second half showing from the Magpies.

That performance disproved the notion that this was a team wearing flip flops - as had been claimed by one TV pundit - but some slipshod defending in the first half ultimately left United with too much ground to recover. 

Arsenal may have seen their Champions League hopes extinguished in midweek, but arrived on Tyneside seeking a sixth consecutive Premier League win and with Olivier Giroud bidding to score in his fifth successive PL game.

Sadly, both sequences were to be lengthened and the destination of the points decided thanks to a five minute spell in the opening half hour, during which the striker twice latched on to set pieces and beat Tim Krul.

That took Giroud's tally against Newcastle to a walloping eight from just six outings - an even better strike rate than his predecessors Ian Wright and Nicolas Anelka.

Having admitted that his outfield selection was from a pool of just thirteen players, Carver chose to make three changes to the side who meekly surrendered to Everton.

Out went the suspended Fabricio Coloccini, while Gabriel Obertan and Emmanuel Riviere were dropped in favour of Goodison substitutes Remy Cabella and Ayoze Perez.

As had been the case when reduced to ten men last week, Ryan Taylor filled in at left back, Jack Colback appeared on the opposite flank and Mike Williamson was partnered by makeshift centre half Daryl Janmaat.    

Perez forced an early block from Gunners' 'keeper David Ospina and the stopper had to head clear a minute later.

Perez and Sammy Ameobi linked up well before the linesman flagged and United continued to press in the early stages, forcing a corner that Sissoko headed wide.

Arsenal took the lead in the 24th minute when Santi Cazorla fired in a free-kick which was flicked on by Danny Welbeck for Giroud to steer home via his knee at the Gallowgate End.

A rapid counter attack then ended with Danny Welbeck volleying wastefully wide but the lead was soon doubled when Giroud shrugged off his marker Williamson and headed Cazorla's corner into the corner of the net with Anita unable to protect the post.

That knocked the stuffing out of United and it looked like Arsenal would increase their lead, but despite dominating play to an extent reminiscent of the first half of that 4-4 draw that brought four goals, none more arrived. 

Trudging off at half time amid inevitable booing, the same starting eleven appeared after the break and began to show much overdue signs of warming to their task.

Within minutes Newcastle swept forward down the right wing through Ryan Taylor, Remy Cabella supplying a smart cut back for Sissoko to whack home his fourth goal in all competitions this season near the penalty spot.

Bringing the crowd to life, Perez almost instantly levelled, curling a wonderful effort narrowly wide before slicing another shot off target as United rediscovered their ability to create forward momentum.

Yoan Gouffran then had a weak effort saved following handball appeals against Calum Chambers before Sissoko looked to have scored as he touched on Williamson's header from close range - only for David Ospina to make an instinctive point-blank block.

Jonas Gutierrez replaced Anita and he and Cabella were causing the visitors all sorts of problems but the second goal continued to elude the black and whites.

Tim Krul denied Welbeck and Cabella had penalty appeals waved away once again by referee Mike Jones before Perez forced Ospina into an improvised stop with his foot after the shot deflected off an opponent. 

Arsene Wenger's mob survived that second half onslaught and held on for a win that could in part be attributed to some clumsy challenges from United and the continued inability of the visiting players to remain on their feet, a ploy that successfully broke up play at crucial points.